It's the festive season, which is when we find out who has been naughty or nice, or in ERB's world which teams had good years, average years, and a season to forget. Ant, Phil, and a returning Andy have a look at standout players and moments for each of the top 12 sides. Oh, yes, we also address the extremely disappointing Eben incident and the needless Wales rout, while also touching on a tremendous Stormers result and a surprising Jukskei derby.

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Strap in for a bumper episode of Elite Rugby Banter as Ant and Phil break down a truly bizarre and brutal Test match in Dublin. The Springboks were undeniably dominant against Ireland, so why did it feel so close? We dive into the FIVE Irish cards, the scrum carnage, the bizarre refereeing decisions, and the James Ryan incident that left us speechless.

Then, we shift gears to crown the best of the best. With the international season wrapped up, we unveil our official Elite Rugby Banter World XV of the Year. Who made the cut in our entirely objective and completely undisputed dream team? There are shock inclusions, controversial snubs, and a healthy dose of banter as we debate the standout players from 1 to 15.

It’s all here: analysis of the Boks' tour, the state of the All Blacks, England's rise, and our prestigious end-of-year awards. You won't want to miss it!

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This week on Elite Rugby Banter, we unpack a weekend of rugby that felt like it was scripted by a mischievous referee with a flair for theatre. The Boks beat Italy, but the real drama was in the card deck — with Eddie Jones still talking about “intent” like it’s a legal thriller. KLA ghosted again, Moodie’s defence was more interpretive dance than tackle technique, but Dwilly was electric and Manie continued to Manie with reckless charm. Pollard? Somewhere between solid and spectral. If you’re not betting on Bok 9s to score, you hate free money. And Rassie’s bench moves? Chef’s kiss.

Across the channel, England stunned the All Blacks and now we’re all asking: are they actually good? Is this real? Who’s in the top five now — and does anyone agree? BBBB caught some heat, but the real fire was in the discourse. Ireland beat Australia, but only the wrong Aussies shone. Ireland looked better, but was that just because Australia are now a rugby ghost town?

Scotland lost to Argentina, and surely Tooney’s seat is now lava. Meanwhile, Argentina continue to “prove” they’re a top team — despite having done so for five years, three World Cup semis, and wins over basically everyone. Can we retire the “on their day” trope?

And yes, Japan played Wales.

It’s a week of hot takes, cold facts, and rugby chaos — and we’re here to stir it all with a crooked referee’s whistle and a wink.

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If French rugby is fine wine, the Boks uncorked it, chugged it straight from the bottle, and smashed the glass on the way out.

The Springboks have once again marched into Paris like uninvited houseguests, stomping mud across the carpets, smashing the crockery, and pocketing a few heirlooms for good measure. France looked overrated, outmuscled, and utterly unable to dent the Bok defence, while the refereeing circus gave us scrums that made no sense, a red card that raised eyebrows, and yellows that felt more like lottery tickets. Rassie’s substitutions were bold, Siya’s leadership was immense, and Esterhuizen looked every bit the golden key to unlock this side. Sasha or Manie — who’s really the man (hint, it's still Pollard)? Meanwhile, the 9s are bringing the heat, but KLA might not be it.

Beyond Paris, the Northern Hemisphere chorus of “we’re undercooked” rang out again, conveniently forgetting that the shoe is on the other foot every June. Italy toppled Australia, leaving us wondering if Joe Schmidt’s fire has fizzled. Scotland spooked themselves against New Zealand in what quickly became the DMac show. England scraped past Fiji, though the islanders could easily have stolen it, with refereeing once again in the spotlight. Wales, poor Wales, were left licking wounds after Argentina gave them another bruising reminder of reality. And in the background, World Cup qualification permutations rumble on: Namibia struggling, Belgium proving they’re more than just chips.

It was a weekend of broken narratives, hot takes, and Southern Hemisphere swagger, and we’re here to stir the pot with all the banter you can handle.

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Tadgh Beirne’s red card lit the fuse this weekend, and while most of us were still debating intent versus accident, BBBB was already pledging his undying defence of the man. We ask whether a Barrett‑less All Blacks might actually be the better version. Meanwhile, SaFM continues to smoulder — is it still flames or just smoke and mirrors? Two aerial 50/50s had everyone split down the middle, Kolbe’s solidity was put under the microscope, and the big questions loom: Is Quan Horn already a better bet than Andries Coetzee, should Pat Lambie still be the Boks’ first‑choice 10 (yes, Ant went there), and was Faz completely mad to back Doris?

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We are 5 weeks into the URC and have 5 weeks of Springboks rugby ahead - it's the perfect time for a stock take. Do the Boks have what it takes to go 5 from 5? Are the Stormers as good as they seem? Did the Citing Commissioner set an extremely dangerous precedent? The answer to at least one of those questions is a yes. Listen in to find out what the guys think.

After a brief review of the URC second round and the last of the Rugby Champs (Bokke back to back!), each of our four regulars delivers the end-of-term report on their allotted team. Listen in to find out more about James O'Connor's haircut, why Jordie Barrett may have resurrected Camille Chat's international career, Ant's Nic White impression, and Kolbe's sudden senile onset.

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Strap in for a chaotic episode as Phil, Ant, and Rich attempt to analyse the un-analysable. The Springboks' win over Argentina had everything: 97 points, 12 tries, a hattrick, a bizarre drop-goal attempt from your own in-goal, and a coming-of-age masterclass from Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu. We break down the madness, the genius, and the sheer lunacy of it all. Plus, we cover the Bledisloe Cup, the URC kick-off (Stormers good, Lions bad!), the Women's World Cup final and why a certain Welsh analyst has got it all wrong about the Boks. Pure, unadulterated rugby banter.

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This week, Dick blows the whistle on the TRC’s scheduling shenanigans, accusing them of high tackle interference with the Women’s RWC and AFL finals. It’s a calendar clash of titanic proportions, and someone’s getting yellow-carded.

We scrum down on the age-old debate: Six Nations or TRC—which competition reigns supreme? Spoiler: it’s less “crown jewel” and more “jewel heist,” depending on your hemisphere.

The Lions did a thing—celebrated like Currie Cup champions at 80 minutes, then promptly remembered they’re allergic to silverware. We unpack the collapse, the curse, and the cruel optimism.

Meanwhile, New Zealand rugby might be going full haka-flameout, and Australia’s eyeing the unthinkable double— breaking both the Eden Park and Bledisloe hoodoes. Is it a golden age or just fool’s gold?

Plus: the URC kicks off and our draft preview goes off the rails faster than a Bulls fan at altitude. Expect botched picks, bruised egos, and a few players who were drafted purely for their haircuts.

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What a weekend of rugby... The Wallabies and Argentina got our morning's off to a great start with a highly entertaining clash, followed up by what was one of the all-time great halves of rugby from the Springboks and a record defeat for the All Blacks. The Springbok Women then closed out the double up with an inspired debut in the World Cup knockouts, ultimately falling to the superior Black Ferns. Oh, and the Lions used their URC players to cheat their way to yet another Currie Cup final.

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